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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Greetings:</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have long advocated a regular MAA sponsored workshop for the UP. Frank is correct, of course, in noting that there are only two of us up here (myself and Erik Nordberg at MTU. He is also correct in noting that Erik and I do not allow him to cross the bridge without prior notice and escort through the region). However, my intended audience is the small shop owners - historical societies and museums - scattered around the region. These people desperately need our help figuring out what to do with the old diaries, letters, photographes, and, increasingly, electronic records that come to them. Fortunately, we have a ready made group in the UP called the "Northland Consortium" that Erik and I, especially Erik (in fact, he's probably been the driving force keeping the group together), work with regularly. In fact, Erik and I are planning to do an all-day workshop on conservation and repair at the Consortium's fall meeting. MAA has already expressed an interest in sponsoring the event (I have to get cost info to the board). It would be great if we could do something like this annually. I cannot speak for Erik, but I don't need compensation since this work falls within my "assigned responsibilities" of educational outreach. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>MAA would do well to recognize that even though the vast majority of professional archivists are in the "golden triangle" or south of the Lansing line, most of our archival resources are cared for by non-professionals (a great many above the Lansing line). MAA should reach out to these people as a readily available and helpful resource. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>BTW, I survived my blood clot and a rather harrowing three days at the Gratiot Community Hospital (Alma) fending off blood letting demands and leach applications. Gawd, its good to be back in the civilized UP. . .</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>--Marcus</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> maa-l-bounces+mrobyns=nmu.edu@lists.dhal.org on behalf of Boles, Frank J.<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wed 6/27/2007 9:35 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Robert Garrett; maa-l@lists.dhal.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Maa-l] Workshops<BR></FONT><BR></DIV></DIV>
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<P><FONT size=2>Dear Bob:<BR><BR>This has been a perennial discussion in MAA. I remember discussing the<BR>same issues in the early 1990s.<BR><BR>The problem always came down not so much to the schedule but to finding<BR>instructors who would do the same workshop, again, and again, and again<BR>(for free and often eating travel expenses as well). The other endless<BR>issue was not geographic equity (no one thought we should only do<BR>workshops in the "golden triangle defined by Detroit, Lansing, and Grand<BR>Rapids) but in getting instructors to travel to the "boonies" (as in<BR>places like where I live).<BR><BR>The number of breathing archivists north of Lansing is a very small pool<BR>indeed. Many years ago I remember sitting at an MAA meeting with my then<BR>two other "NOL" (north of Lansing) colleagues. We decided to form the<BR>"northern alliance" which would consist of a president, vp, and<BR>treasurer, with all offices rotated annually among the three of us (a<BR>great vita builder, I might add) and the treasurer bearing the solemn<BR>responsibility of buying the other two guys dinner. Unfortunately the<BR>alliance collapsed since no one would be treasurer first, and I think<BR>those two schmucks in the UP didn't really trust a dumb troll to come<BR>through with dinner when it was my turn.<BR><BR>The point (besides from never being able to resist a good story) is that<BR>moving north of Lansing will be tough; with the UP particularly<BR>challenging, unless you can find a way to at least pay travel expenses.<BR>Even then, other than our two yupper regulars, who's up for a trip to<BR>Escanaba in the winter (which I believe ends in June in Escanaba -- just<BR>in time for black fly season).<BR><BR>The other problem is deciding what "level" you are teaching to. Are<BR>these intro workshops for volunteers in the local history organizations?<BR>Easier to teach but usually of minimal interest to MAA members. Maybe<BR>more advanced topics like copyright? Harder to find instructors and to<BR>get a good sized audience outside of the golden triangle.<BR><BR>Control is also a sticky issue. If you put the MAA logo on the workshop<BR>you'd like some sense of the content/quality of the project, but unless<BR>you develop standardized curriculur packages, well realistically you<BR>can't get control. Basically you pick "good" people to teach and cross<BR>your fingers. Of course "good" people tend to be in short supply, so do<BR>you just take volunteers and, as Clint Eastwood used to say "feelin'<BR>lucky?"<BR><BR>There is no right answer to this; just what the organization has the<BR>will and capability of doing at a given time. My advice is to not get<BR>too hung up in planning; just do what you think makes sense and can get<BR>done in a reasonable time frame and with a reasonable amount of effrt,<BR>then adjust as experience dictates.<BR><BR>Frank Boles<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: maa-l-bounces+boles1fj=cmich.edu@lists.dhal.org<BR>[<A href="mailto:maa-l-bounces+boles1fj=cmich.edu@lists.dhal.org">mailto:maa-l-bounces+boles1fj=cmich.edu@lists.dhal.org</A>] On Behalf Of<BR>Robert Garrett<BR>Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 4:47 PM<BR>To: maa-l@lists.dhal.org<BR>Subject: [Maa-l] Workshops<BR><BR>I understand that Wed.'s copyright workshop was well received. Lance<BR>Werner and Nick Bozen were the presenters. Everyone who attended seemed<BR>quite impressed, and that's nice to hear.<BR><BR>Workshops in general were a topic of discussion in Ann Arbor. The<BR>topic arose at the MAA board meeting and at the breakout session on the<BR>Harvey challenge.<BR><BR>The consensus seems to be that MAA should offer more workshops. Right<BR>now, we're working on the mechanics. How many should we offer? Where<BR>should we offer them? Attendance will likely be best in the Southeast<BR>part of the state. Of course, this doesn't mean that the less populous<BR>areas should be ignored. What's fair?<BR><BR>Tied to this discussion is a discussion on chapters. Should MAA have<BR>regional "chapters" or section? Would it better to arrange these<BR>chapters by function, such as "Reference" or "Processing?" Should<BR>different chapters discern educational needs - or should MAA's<BR>educational committee oversee such matters? It seems that some sort of<BR>central authority on workshops may be needed, but how do we best go<BR>about this?<BR><BR>There were a number of issues here, then, and hopefully, I didn't<BR>"miscommunicate" any of them. In any case, I thought that I'd throw the<BR>matter out here for discussion. If anyone has any thoughts, then please<BR>feel free to chime in. <BR><BR>Bob Garrett<BR>Archives of Michigan<BR>Telephone: (517) 241-1382<BR>E-mail: garrettr1@michigan.gov<BR><BR>Michigan History pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Mackinac<BR>Bridge with a special issue. Subscribe by July 1 to guarantee your<BR>copy, and discover your connections at www.michiganhistory.org.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Maa-l mailing list<BR>Maa-l@lists.dhal.org<BR><A href="http://lists.dhal.org/mailman/listinfo/maa-l">http://lists.dhal.org/mailman/listinfo/maa-l</A><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Maa-l mailing list<BR>Maa-l@lists.dhal.org<BR><A href="http://lists.dhal.org/mailman/listinfo/maa-l">http://lists.dhal.org/mailman/listinfo/maa-l</A><BR></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>